Wilmington-based developer Buccini Pollin Group, Inc. (BPG) announced Friday morning its latest residential development in Downtown Wilmington, The Press. Following remarks from Mayor Mike Purzycki, 4th District City Councilmember Michelle Harlee, BPG Founder Rob Buccini, and BPG Executive Vice President of Development of Michael Hare; project stakeholders symbolically broke ground on the site, kicking off the development of the previous surface lot at the corner of 8th and Orange Street. This new multi-family community will bring 243 apartments to 801 N. Orange Street in the summer of 2025.
Designed by BLTa—A Perkins Eastman Studio, the $90 million development will feature studio, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments and duplexes across the 1.15 acre site. The project includes a 14-story high-rise residential tower with a glass and metal façade, and amenity spaces located at ground level along Orange Street and on the fourth floor, which include an indoor lounge and social dining space as well as a roof deck with views of Downtown Wilmington. Accompanying the Orange Street tower is a 4-story brick clad residential building along 8th Street, with two story 3-bedroom duplexes accessed from the sidewalk and two levels of apartment flats above. Future phases include a second residential tower along Tatnall Street and townhomes on Girard Street.
Nestled between the various structures, a private exterior amenity space is designed for the interior portion of the site. The space will feature a pool, dog run, grill areas, and social spaces of various scales located within a landscaped park-like space. A porte-cochère is adjacent to the residential lobby for passenger drop-off, providing a visual connection to the expansive amenity space beyond. Finally, an intimate pocket park will be developed between the tower and duplex program with publicly accessed seating and landscaping.
Aptly named, The Press pays tribute to the site’s history as the former headquarters for The News Journal. The News Journal moved from 831 Orange Street in 1989 to their current location outside of Downtown Wilmington, and the site was later converted to a surface parking lot. The Press will bring life back to the underutilized urban space with an expected 350+ residents. The Press is centrally located two blocks off Market Street and close to local employment hubs, the Wilmington Train Station and Transit Center, and neighborhood attractions.
In recent years, BPG has expanded its residential footprint in Wilmington off Market Street with the addition of a 200-unit apartment community at The Residences at Mid-town Park in 2018, and most recently at Crosby Hill, a 203-unit apartment located on Shipley Street which opened in October 2022.
“I’ve said it often and it remains true – if cities don’t grow, then they die,” said Mayor Mike Purzycki. “Wilmington, I’m happy to say, continues to grow in ways we haven’t seen in some time, and that’s good for everyone. Businesses large and small continue to move to our City, just as more and more residents choose to call Wilmington home. Our Downtown neighborhood in particular has seen a population explosion in recent years, which continues to have positive ripple effects across the City. This ambitious project from our friends at BPG is just the latest housing option to spring up in the heart of our great City, and we thank them for their ongoing investment in Wilmington as well as confidence in our future.”
To date, BPG has brought over 2,200 units to the residential market in Wilmington and has another 700 units under development or construction, including its latest development projects The Standard, located at Market West (former Nemours Building), and Humble Park, which broke ground at 317 N Market St in July 2023.
“At The Press, we expect to attract 400 new residents to Wilmington. People who will frequent our small businesses, add to our workforce, and invest in our growing community.” said Rob Buccini, Founder of the Buccini Pollin Group. “Thank you so very much to our incredible team and partners who made this project possible in today’s challenging environment, including the City of Wilmington, Valley Bank, BHI, Mavik, BLTa, BPGS Construction, and ResideBPG.”
Buccini Pollin Group and BPGS Construction will manage the development and construction of The Press, and BPG’s residential affiliate ResideBPG will handle leasing and property management. The development will bring approximately 315 construction jobs to the City of Wilmington.
Source: Buccini Pollin Group Press Release